The White House announced on Wednesday that President Joe Biden has begun using continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP machine at night to treat his sleep apnea. The information was discovered after it was discovered that the president’s face had indentations from the mask as he left the White House.
The president has admitted to having sleep apnea, a common but potentially dangerous disorder in which breathing can stop and start during the night. Tuesday night, according to White House sources, Biden utilized the device. When he left Wednesday morning for a speech in Chicago, it was clear that he had impression marks on his face.
What is a CPAP machine?
For the treatment of sleep apnea problems, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the most frequently prescribed device.
Breathing pauses or interruptions are brought on by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), frequently as a result of a temporary obstruction or collapse of the throat or airways.
While you sleep, a CPAP machine continuously blows compressed air into your mouth and nose. This helps you breathe correctly by keeping your airways open.
CPAP machine pumps air through a mask to open a sleeper’s airway. Five million Americans have reportedly tried them.
How does a CPAP machine work?
The compressor (motor) of a CPAP machine produces a steady stream of pressured air that passes through an air filter and into a flexible tube. Purified air is delivered through this tube into a mask that is sealed over your mouth or nose.
The CPAP machine’s airstream forces any obstructions open as you sleep, allowing your lungs to get plenty of oxygen.
Your breathing doesn’t slow down because there is nothing blocking this oxygen flow. You don’t have to wake up constantly to start breathing again as a result.
The 80-year-old president is the oldest person ever to hold the nation’s highest office
Although it has long been known that he has the illness, it wasn’t brought up during his most recent checkup in February. Doctors discovered Biden had an abnormal pulse during his time as vice president, which was likely caused by apnea.
The 80-year-old president is the oldest person ever to hold the nation’s highest office and is running for re-election.
The American Medical Association estimates that over 30 million Americans have the illness, however, only 6 million of them have received a diagnosis. Due to facial structure, aging, or obesity, this problem occurs when the throat and tongue muscles relax and restrict the airway during sleep.
Each night, they stop breathing hundreds of times for up to a minute, which causes them to snore and gasp loudly before waking up. They are unable to acquire restful, deep sleep as a result. Untreated sleep apnea can increase the risk of heart attack and cause severe sleepiness. Men experience the issue more frequently than women do.